Canning Green Chiles

In our household, we are absolutely obsessed with green chiles. Ever since we upgraded to a larger garden, I’ve thrown them into my ever-growing collection of peppers. However, there’s a catch: I can’t seem to grow enough to keep us happy until the next harvest. So, come fall, I have to embark on a shopping spree for chiles and then play the mad scientist by preserving them. Honestly, nothing beats the flavor and kick of fresh chiles compared to the bland impostors you find in stores.

In my early days of chile hoarding, I would simply shove them into zip-lock bags and toss them in the freezer like some sort of spicy treasure. While this was a no-brainer in terms of convenience, it turned into a game of “Who’s Got Time to Peel?” more times than I’d like to admit. There were countless occasions when I’d stare at those frozen beauties and think, “Nah, peeling’s not on today’s agenda.” On the flip side, avoiding the daunting task of peeling a mountain of roasted peppers all at once was a small victory — especially since they can be slippery little devils after roasting!

But, here’s the twist: I recently discovered that air frying makes peeling chiles as easy as pie! So, I’m adopting that genius method this year. Plus, I’m gearing up to can them just like I did at the end of last season — because who doesn’t want a pantry full of fiery little gems to spice up their life? Bring it on!

If you’re planning on canning green chiles, here’s the scoop: you’ve got to pressure can those bad boys! Now, I’ll be honest — I’ve always had a bit of a love-hate relationship with pressure canners. Not sure why; maybe it’s the ominous hissing? Anyway, I happen to own two Presto pressure canners. The first one was your classic Presto pressure cooker, and then I stumbled upon the Presto Electric Pressure Canner, which has been my trusty sidekick for the past year. Let me tell you, this thing is so user-friendly that I almost expect it to start making me breakfast!

If you’re anything like me and get a bit jittery at the thought of using a pressure canner, do yourself a favor and check out an electric pressure cooker. It’s been a game-changer for me! Before diving in, I highly recommend watching a tutorial video. It’s as easy as pie (or should I say, as easy as canning green chiles?). Just a heads up: last year, I made the rookie mistake of leaving our swamp cooler on while canning. Spoiler alert: it caused all sorts of mayhem! So if your cooling system has a penchant for turning your canning area into an icebox, just hit the off switch during the process. Trust me; your chiles will thank you.

For the nitty-gritty details, I followed Jan’s recipe from Unruly Gardening. Here are the golden rules: keep that headspace to 1 inch, sprinkle in 1/4 tsp of salt for each 8 oz jar, and set your timer for 35 minutes. Jan uses 4 oz jars because her canner can handle it — how fancy! But my electric canner prefers the 8 oz jars, which works out perfectly since we like to go heavy on the chiles in our recipes. More chiles, more happiness, right? Happy canning!

Equipment needed:
Presto pressure cooker
Presto Electric Pressure Canner
Canning Tools